This year’s Valedictorian Jack Cohen and Salutatorian Nate Kulish have much to be proud of. Throughout their four years at MHS, Cohen and Kulish distinguished themselves through academic achievement, community involvement and a willingness to take on challenges.
For Cohen, mathematics has been a defining part of his academic experience because he is drawn to how clear answers combine with complex problem-solving. “Working with numbers comes naturally to me and is also just fun and satisfying,” Cohen said. “I like that there is a concrete definite solution combined with the problem solving you have to do to get to the solution, like a puzzle.”
Cohen’s interest in math culminated in AP Calculus BC. Outside of class, he participated in Math Club and spent time tutoring students in both math and science.
Despite his academic success, Cohen’s MHS experience was shaped just as much by the challenges he faced as by the subjects that came naturally to him. “I went out of my comfort zone by taking difficult classes,” Cohen said. “Along the way, I found that topics that were initially confusing or overwhelming actually motivated me to work harder until I mastered them.” Through those experiences, Cohen gained confidence in tackling difficult challenges.
Some of Cohen’s favorite memories from MHS are simple ones: having lunch with friends and bonding with them over difficult classes. Outside of school, Cohen enjoys chess, ultimate frisbee, ping pong, cooking and baking. He also worked as a camp counselor for several summers, where he taught chess to younger students.
After graduation, Cohen will attend Columbia University, where he plans to continue exploring mathematics and other academic interests.
Like Cohen, Kulish leaves MHS with an impressive academic record, but his high school experience also extended far beyond the classroom. Kulish will attend Vanderbilt University, where he plans to study economics and political science. “I’m a big math guy,” Kulish said, “so I want to find a field that can combine numbers and the humanities.”
Kulish wrote for The Globe, served as president of Make A Friend and CRC Club, worked as a CRC intern and served as a peer leader. Kulish also worked on an OCRA project focused on local accessibility. The project studied infrastructure compliance with ADA standards and involved designing an app that would allow residents to report accessibility issues. Through this work, Kulish connected student research with a real concern in the local community.
Athletics were another major part of Kulish’s MHS experience. He played four years of varsity soccer and lacrosse, serving as captain of both teams. Outside of school, he played club lacrosse for the Predators Lacrosse Club.
Among Kulish’s favorite classes at MHS was Mr. Victoria’s AP Physics. Although challenging, Kulish appreciated the way Mr. Victoria made the course enjoyable and memorable. One of Kulish’s favorite high school moments was watching meteor showers with his AP Physics class at midnight on the turf field.
Outside of school, Kulish enjoys cooking, running, biking and spending time with friends. Looking back, he feels he successfully balanced academics, activities and friendships. When asked what advice he would give to younger students, Kulish emphasized the importance of enjoying high school while it lasts. “I know it’s a cliche and everyone says it, but time really does fly by.” Kulish encourages students to enjoy their classes and build relationships with those around them.
Although Cohen and Kulish took different paths through MHS, both leave behind examples of hard work, curiosity and personal growth. As Cohen prepares for Columbia and Kulish for Vanderbilt, both leave MHS with the school’s highest academic honors and a strong foundation for the future.
